Tool for removing door handle retaining springs



May 20, 1952 R, RQPER 2,597,381

TOOL FOR REMOVING DOOR HANDLE RETAINING SPRINGS Filed June 28, 1948 Perry R. Roper INVENTOR.

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F'at'ented May 20, 1952 'TODL FORREMOVING DOOR HANDLE RETAINING SPRINGS PerryflR. -.Roper,:South Gate, Calif., assignor to Anthony berholtz, Los Angeles,-Calif.

AppIication'Jime-QB, 1948,Serial-No.-35,647

4-.Claims. (01. 29-229) .1 The-present inventionrelatesto new and useful improvements in tools for use with the door handles of automobiles and more particularlyto a tool for removing the door handle retaining- A further object of the invention istoprovideatool ofthis character having right-and left hand springclip engaging heads to pry either endof theclip free from thedoor handle.

A-still further object is'to provide adevice-of this character of simple and practical-construction, which is efilcientand reliable in use, relatively inexpensive. to manufacture and otherwise well'adaptedfor the purposes for which the. same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had-to the accompanying drawings-forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, andlin which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinalsectional view of a door handle-and spindle showing the toolin-use for removing the springretaining. clip therefrom;

Figure 2..is..a sectional view taken substantially onaline 2 -2 of Figure 1';

Figure 3' is a view in elevationof the springclip removing-tool and Figure 41s an edge elevationall view thereof.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention the numeral. 5 designates an automobile door handle which includes a socket 8 at its inner end for sleeving over the spindle l of the door lock mechanism. The socket 6 is held in position on the end of the spindle by means of a resilient wire clip or spring washer 8 surrounding the socket B and having inwardly curved locking jaws 9 adjacent its ends received in openings Ill and circumferential groove l2 in the socket 6 and seated in an annular groove I I in the spindle I.

The clip 8 is fitted tightly between an escutch eon plate l3 mounted on the socket 6 and a shoulder l4 formed on the socket, the clip thus being substantially concealed between the escutcheon plate and the socket of the handle.

The subject matter of the present invention comprises a tool l5 that is formed ofaylength of fiat metal bent at the .ends to form an intermediate shank portion l6 and flat tool ends or heads H at the ends of the shankportion inclined at an angle tot-he plane of saidshank portion.

Theends orheads ll are similar and each comprises a bifurcation provided with integral c0- planar oppose'd jaws or arms 25- and-26 spaced one from the other to form a retainer-receiving notch I8 therebetween. Said notch is divided into a small pocket I9 and a large pocket 20 by a spring-holding or bearing projection 23. On arms 25-and 26 thereare provided respective inwardly directed sharp projections12lw and2-2 constituting lips-flanking the entrance to notch l'8. As willlater beseen, projection 21 is a gripping projection and is sharp to .biteinto :theclip,; and projection 221a fulcrum proj ection;around" which the toolis swung or. rotated inoperation. .Said gripping projection provides .a biting edge that faces bearing-projection 2.3.

lnthe operation of theltool oneof thezheads [:1 is placedibetweenithe escutcheon platezl3 and shoulder .142 of a door'ihandle' .tOCpOSitiOnihB central portion of retaining. spring: or; clip .8 in vthe notch 1:8; thepr'ojections'z lfand :212 at1the'entrance tothe notch. snapping over thesspringon clip and closely:engagingfthesideslofithe-clip at the openings in socket d arid with the projection 23 bearing a gainst the c'e'nter or 1 back: of the clip as shownin liigure 2.

A turning movement of the tool l-5 in adirecinslot fil -and at the same' 'time lower projection- 22 to-force the other end'otclip fi downwardly until arm 26 strikes the end of slot It] at the point 24. Bearing projection 23 holds the clip firmly against projection 2| during this movement to prevent slipping of the tool and the continued turning movement of the tool around said fulcrum will cause the projection 2| to lift the end of the clip engaged thereby out of the slot i0.

Larger pocket 20 allows clip 8 to give and enter the pocket during the removing action of the tool.

The heads ll are bent at an angle from the plane of shank It to facilitate gripping of the tool when engaged with the door handle.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the construction, operation and advantages of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art.

3 A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A tool for removing spring retainer clips comprising: a length of fiat metal bifurcated to provide integral coplanar arms spaced one from the other to form a retainer receiving notch, a pointed fulcrum projection on the free end of one of the arms located in the plane of the length of metal and extending inwardly from the inner edge thereof, a pointed gripping projection on the free end of the other arm located in said plane and extending inwardly from the inner edge thereof and a bearing projection on the inner edge of one of said arms located in said plane and at a point intermediate said first and second projections, the gripping projection pro viding a biting edge facing said bearing portion, said first and second projections adapted to snap on to a retainer and as said tool is rotated in said plane around said fulcrum projection at one side of the retainer, the gripping projection is adapted to bite into the other side of the retainer r to press the retainer against said bearing projection and withdraw the same.

2. A tool for removing spring retainer clips comprising: a length of flat metal bifurcated to provide integral coplanar arms spaced one from the other to form a retainer receiving notch, a fulcrum projection on the free end of one of the arms located in the plane of the length of metal and extending inwardly from the inner edge thereof, a pointed gripping projection on the free end of the other arm located in said plane and extending inwardly from the inner edge thereof and a bearing projection on the inner edge of one of said arms located in said plane and at a point intermediate said first and second projections, the gripping projection providing a biting edge facing said bearing portion, said first and second projections adapted to snap on to a retainer and as said tool is rotated in said plane around said fulcrum projection at one side of the retainer, the gripping projection is adapted to bite into the other side of the retainer to press the retainer against said bearing projection and withdraw the same.

3. A tool for removing spring retainer clips comprising: a length of fiat metal bifurcated to provide integral rigidly set and nonadjustable coplanar arms spaced one from the other to form a retainer receiving notch, a fulcrum projection on the free end of one of the arms located in the plane of the length of metal and extending inwardly from the inner edge thereof, a pointed gripping projection on the free end of the other arm located in said plane and extending inwardly from the inner edge thereof and a bearing projection on the inner edge of one of said arms located in said plane and at a point intermediate said first and second projections, the gripping projection providing a biting edge facing said bearing portion, said first and second projections adapted to snap on to a retainer and as said tool is rotated in said plane around said fulcrum projection at one side of the retainer, the gripping projection is adapted to bite into the other side of the retainer to press the retainer against said bearing projection and withdraw the same.

4. A tool for removing spring retainer clips comprising: a length of flat metal bifurcated to provide integral rigidly set and nonadjustable coplanar arms spaced one from the other to form a retainer receiving notch, a pointed fulcrum projection on the free end of one of the arms located in the plane of the length of metal and extending inwardly from the inner edge thereof, a pointed gripping projection on the free end of the other arm located in said plane and extending inwardly from the inner edge thereof and a bearing projection on the inner edge of one of said arms located in said plane and at a point intermediate said first and second projections, the gripping projection providing a biting edge facing said bearing portion, said first and second projections adapted to snap on to a retainer and as said tool is rotated in said plane around said fulcrum projection at one side of the retainer, the gripping projection is adapted to bite into the other side of the retainer to press the retainer against said bearing projection and withdraw the same.

PERRY R. ROPER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 769,650 Harrison Sept. 6, 1904 1,684,526 Tucker et a1. Sept. 18, 1928 1,824,616 Neher Sept. 22, 1931 1,931,690 Gilligan Oct. 24, 1933 1,984,748 Knutson Dec. 18, 1934 2,166,089 Brenner July 11, 1939 2,440,485 Ranseen Apr. 27, 1948 

